Unmanned tanks may be added to arsenal
CHINA: China has revealed that it is testing unmanned tanks that can potentially feature artificial intelligence-based systems, as the country looks to revolutionise its armed forces.
CCTV, the Chinese state broadcaster, aired a brief clip of an ageing Type 59 tank fitted with new remote-control technology and seemingly being driven by a soldier sitting at a nearby control deck.
State media said the Chinese military was investigating how to network the tanks to aircraft and satellites to work in a quicker and more destructive way than human-driven versions.
Defence experts said the attempt appeared to be the latest foray into unmanned technology as part of a major overhaul of the People’s Liberation Army.
The Global Times newspaper quoted Liu Qingshan, chief editor of Tank and Armoured Vehicle ,as saying: ‘‘A large number of due-toretire Type 59 tanks can be converted into unmanned vehicles if equipped with artificial intelligence.’’
Earlier this month China announced that its military budget for 2018 is 1.11 trillion yuan (NZ$240t) – up 8.1 per cent from 2017 – as the government targets becoming a global superpower by 2050.
‘‘Although the CCTV footage shows the country has managed to operate tanks using remote control, there are still many technical problems that need to be resolved before they can achieve the same combat capabilities as manned tanks,’’ the Global Times said.
Samuel Cranny-Evans, a land warfare platform analyst at IHS Jane’s, said China’s military had previously shown off small reconnaissance robots, drone aircraft, and a driverless truck that could form unmanned supply convoys, but this was the first report of an apparently unmanned tank.
‘‘It’s difficult to say why they are doing it, but we do know that they are trying to modernise their forces extensively, and inherent in that is building lots of new technologies.’’
He said it was unclear why the remote-control technology had been fitted to obsolete tanks, rather than a more modern vehicle.
‘‘It could be that they are developing the technology to control unmanned tanks so that they could put it on something better.’’
Alternatively, China could be looking at using the tanks as added firepower in the early stages of a battle, he said.
Other militaries have also looked at the possibility of using unmanned tanks. Russia is believed to have gone furthest, and has said its new Armata main battle tank will have the potential to be unmanned.
– Telegraph Group